Rage Unleashed
by Tatsurou-san
Summary: When Ranma abandons Nerima rather than deal with the problems he's faced there, the emotional conflict this raises in him catches the attention of Hawk Moth when he sets foot in Paris. What happens next will change the face of the Miraculous Conflict forever.
1. Chapter 1

Ranma Saotome walked slowly down the city streets, ignoring the strange looks people were giving him. He knew he didn't match fashion of the local area, but he didn't really care. He had thought he would be happy to finally get away from Nerima, and all the insanity that had driven him to the brink of madness. He'd even snuck into the international airport and hid inside a plane's cargo bay just to ensure no one could track him.

But after all of that, all he felt was…numb. He knew that wouldn't last long. His escape hadn't filled him with pleasure of triumph, only shame. He'd taken the coward's way out. It didn't matter that he would have likely sought some other end before long if he hadn't fled, he had still run away.

Deciding he didn't like people staring at him, he stepped into an alleyway and triangle jumped to a roof, deciding to take the high road from now on, if only to have some peace and quiet. In the distance, he saw a structure he recognized from classes. "The Eiffel Tower," he muttered under his breath, still using his native Japanese. "So I'm in Paris, huh? Guess I couldn't get further away if I tried…"

He hopped across a few buildings, making his way towards the Tower. The top would make a better place to think from, and if nothing else it would give him a good view of the city to plan his next move.

It didn't take him long to reach the Tower, or to race up the outside to the peak. He was used to leaping from building to building, so crossbeam to crossbeam was child's play. At the peak, he balanced himself as he stared out at the world.

Slipping a hand into his pocket, he pulled out the only object he'd been able to sneak onto the plane with him…the family _tanto_ , the Saotome name inscribed on the sheath of the blade. An inheritance…and a reminder of everything he hated about who he was, and the life he'd left behind.

The Cat Fist…the Jusenkyo Curse…the dozens of fiancés…Happosai…all the mistakes of Genma Saotome that Ranma had been forced to take onto his own back. The mistakes he himself had made, because he had become too much his father's son. Is this really what the world meant? The sins of the father shaping the son to repeat them?

Sighing, Ranma drew the blade, staring at the metal as he thought, struggling his way out of the morass of emotions weighing down his mind.

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Hawk Moth looked up in surprise as the window in his lair irised open. "Goodness…that _is_ a great deal of negative emotion. Rage, sorrow, envy, self-loathing, and a touch of nihilism…this is a surprisingly dark individual." Chuckling, he beckoned one of the white butterflies flittering around him into his left hand, covering it with his right as he infused it with the power of his Miraculous. "Let's make him a little darker, shall we, my little Akuma?" Uncovering the butterfly, the now glowing black and dark purple insect flitted out the center of the window, making its way to the individual detected.

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As Ranma continued to stare at his blade, he barely noticed the butterfly floating up towards him. At first, he was planning on ignoring it as just another insect, but something inside him warned him, some instinct for danger. Training his eyes on it, he reacted as he frequently did and lashed out. Swinging the blade, it passed through the butterfly, which burst into shadows that infused the blade, turning it dark.

Purple lines formed a mask shape around his face in front of his eyes, and a voice spoke in his ear. The voice spoke French, and yet Ranma understood it perfectly. "Ranma Saotome-"

"Gyah!" Ranma gasped out, nearly tumbling off his perch, only just barely managing to grasp hold of the tower with his free hand. "Get out of my head!"

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In his lair, Hawk Moth flinched back. Never before had he gotten this sort of reaction when using his Miraculous. Normally, the Akuma simply overwhelmed the mind of the one it infused, drawing out the prominent negative emotions to completely dominate the individual. Somehow, despite the depths of rage and pain he had been in, this 'Ranma' had been able to not only resist the Akuma's corruption, but lash back at Hawk Moth through the connection the Akuma had forged. _This is…interesting…_ Hawk Moth mused in his mind. However, he knew if he wanted to get this human as his servant, he couldn't relent.

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"Relax, Ranma," the voice in his head said softly. "I am not your enemy…and no, you have not gone crazy. My voice is quite real."

Grumbling curses under his breath, Ranma resettled himself on his perch. "Who the heck are you?" he demanded angrily. "And where are you? And what do you want with me?"

Hawk Moth paused as he felt the bitterness in the boy's voice at that last question. "I see this isn't the first time someone has approached you in a manner similar to this. Allow me to be brief. I am Hawk Moth, and I am somewhere in this city, the exact location unimportant. I sent my little Akuma to you because I sensed in you great potential for even greater power. I would like to help you achieve that power, if you'll do something for me in return."

Ranma snorted angrily. "Yeah, I get the drift. Not the first time I've heard this deal, and you can take it and stick it-"

"No need to be rude," Hawk Moth offered gently. "I understand why you might not want to accept this offer right off the bat. For now, however, simply think it over. If you wish to speak with me about this, simply speak into your blade. The Akuma within will reach me, and I will make time. You have great potential, and I would hate to see it squandered.

Ranma spat off the side of the Tower. "Yeah, great potential. Never heard _that_ one before. Don't hold your breath." Disdainfully sheathing the blade, he tucked it back into his pocket before leaping off the tower, sliding down the arc of its support before leaping into the trees.

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Hawk Moth stared out his window as he watched what the boy, this Ranma Saotome, was capable of even _without_ the amplification of the Akuma. "If this is what he's capable of unamplified…what super powers will the Akuma bring him?" He chuckled softly. "There's time enough to work on him. I can find others temporarily to attempt to claim the Miraculous from Ladybug and Cat Noir. But this one…he will succeed where others have failed, of this I am certain. And he will accept my offer eventually." His laugh turned dark and wicked. "After all…he knows he has nothing to lose."


	2. Chapter 2

Ranma sat with his back to a building, staring out at the street in front of him as though he could see nothing. While he'd tried sticking to the trees and the parks, even going outside city limits to find some hint of wilderness to hide out in, eventually his stomach forced him back into the city. There simply wasn't enough to forage out there to keep him fed and strong. However, he wasn't about to be found by someone in authority to be dragged back to Tokyo where Genma could get ahold of him.

Thankfully, his training had included a great deal of lessons on disguises, mostly for the thievery that was 'part of the training'. While he regularly cursed Happosai and Genma for leaving him with so few skills to help him through life, here it proved useful. Disguised as a dirty old tramp, he stared listlessly with a small cup he'd scavenged out of a nearby trash can in front of him, waiting for people to drop some sort of coinage in that he could use to buy something from a vending machine. He wasn't about to risk having to talk to someone face to face to get food, not when he still didn't speak a single word of French. Then again, not speaking the language helped him with his begging, as he was able to just look in uncomprehending desperation at anyone who talked to him, which encouraged more coins sent his way.

He found himself disappointed but unsurprised that the amount of coins that found his way into his cup was distressingly small. The only ones who really left any coins in were mothers walking with their children who were trying to teach their kids good morals, and even then the amount was a pittance. Part of him reminded Ranma that it was probably all they could spare, but a darker part of his mind – the part where Hawk Moth's voice had come from when the Akuma spoke – brought to his attention just how many people didn't even see him, or crossed the street to avoid him. That part of him said that people plainly didn't care about anyone but themselves, and how people saw them.

As if to confirm the views of that part of his mind, a blonde teenage girl – maybe 14, if he estimated ages right – with over-tanned skin approached, saying something to him. He couldn't understand what she was saying, but he recognized the tone, attitude, and stance readily enough. He'd heard and seen it all from Kodachi Kuno, every time she talked to anyone _except_ himself when in his male form. This was the local queen bee of the social hierarchy, who felt she could do whatever she wanted and get away with anything. She'd obviously decided to get her morning dose of amusement from him. He gave her his usual uncomprehending stare as the pale skinned redhead in glasses who stood beside her obediently laughed at some joke she'd made.

Obviously, his uncomprehending gaze wasn't giving the girl the entertainment she wanted, as she followed up by kicking his cup, scattering his collected change over the sidewalk. She stood back to laugh, plainly expecting to get endless joy from watching him scrambling around on the sidewalk for his precious coins, not even worth collecting to her but endlessly valuable to a beggar. Ranma wasn't about to give her that pleasure, however. He continued to lock gazes with her, and when the right moment presented itself, his gaze went from uncomprehending confusion to flinty hatred. For just a moment, he let slip into his gaze just how dangerous he was, right when the girl was looking right into his eyes.

He smirked internally as he saw her flinch back, and then returned his face to normal. After a time, she continued to speak, and then turned away in a huff. Once she and her hanger-on had left, Ranma slowly got to his knees to start gathering his change. Pride was one thing, but it didn't fill his belly.

Much to his surprise, a pale, thin-boned hand grabbed a handful of his change, dropping it into his cup. Looking up, he saw a somewhat pale-skinned girl with black hair and bluebell eyes smiling apologetically at him. She seemed to be about the same age as the other two girls who had tried to torment him. Ranma couldn't understand what she was saying, but the way she was kindly, carefully gathering up his change for him reminded him – inexplicably – of Kasumi, the only one from back in Nerima who had never had an ulterior motive for her actions, ever.

He sat back, watching her as she finished gathering his change and setting his cup down. She then reached into her purse and added some change to the cup, before handing him a wrapped croissant sandwich. He could tell at this point that she was trying to apologize for the other girl's behavior, and was doing him a genuine kindness for no other reason – as far as he could tell – than because she felt she should.

Smiling softly at her, he accepted the sandwich, holding it close but not yet digging in. The girl paused, then drew something on a sheet of paper before handing it to him. She started to say something to him, but was startled as a bell rang in the distance. In a panic, she raced off towards a school.

Ranma chuckled softly as he watched her go. She was obviously late for school. Glancing at the paper, he saw it was a sketchy map of the city streets – as seen from above – with a path drawn from his present location to one marked with an X. Gathering his cup of change and the sandwich, he stepped back into an alley before triangle jumping up to the rooftops.

He devoured the sandwich eagerly, not bothering to notice the contents beyond edible, as he leapt from roof to roof towards the location marked on the map. Once it was in sight, he saw a few bedraggled individuals inside what looked like a cafeteria, bowls of soup and croissants in front of them as they ate carefully but eagerly. He realized it was a soup kitchen, somewhere those who were destitute could go for a meal. While at first the hopeful part of his mind rejoiced, the darker side quickly pointed out just how destitute the building itself looked. Paint peeling on the walls, windows patched with cardboard, the roof looking like it wouldn't take his weight if he leapt onto it…

Sighing, he lay back on the building he was on and pulled out his tanto. Drawing the blade, he stared into the purple aura that remained hidden while the blade was in the sheath. "Is the world always like this?" he asked softly. "Everywhere?"

It wasn't long before Hawk Moth's voice came back to him. "Always like what?" Hawk Moth asked curiously. "It has been some time since we spoke, so I am not sure what you mean."

"People only really caring about themselves?" Ranma clarified. "Those with wealth and power abusing it to run things how they want, getting away with whatever amuses them. Those who genuinely care pushing themselves too far, and getting nothing in return for it. And those in between only looking out for themselves, being giving only when it serves their own purpose. Is this really all the world is?"

"This is the world I have seen," Hawk Moth replied softly. "This is the world I wish to see changed. Power should not be so misused. The power I seek will allow me to change that."

Ranma raised an eyebrow. "So that's it. You want to rule the world."

Hawk Moth's chuckle came in to his mind. "Do you expect me to proclaim 'Of Course!' so you can file me away as a cliché villain so you know how to deal with me? Sorry to disappoint, but I have no desire to _rule_ the world. Nothing so simple. What I seek will allow me to change the world at a fundamental level, and make right many wrongs that are tolerated because they are considered part of the way the world works."

Ranma sat back thoughtfully, more than a little afraid at such a pronouncement. "Such a power exists?"

"The power I seek will grant anything the wielder desires," Hawk Moth replied persuasively. "I'm certain you have a few desires you'd like to achieve that way. And I do not forget those who have aided me in my quests."

Ranma stared into the blade. "…I'll think about it," he responded finally, sheathing the blade. He then lay back, staring into the sky as he tried to sort out his own motives, his own desires.

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Hawk Moth chuckled softly as he felt the connection break. "I'll think about it, you say," he purred. "Last time we talked, you didn't want anything to do with my offer. I knew you'd come around to my way of thinking eventually."


	3. Chapter 3

Ranma once more found himself staring at the sheathed tanto, considering Hawk Moth's offer. He didn't like that his mind kept coming back to this, but the more and more he saw of the world, the more and more the things Hawk Moth said made sense…and the more and more his anger grew.

He'd been in Paris for two weeks, and all that he'd seen told him that the problems of Nerima were just one place where everything was going wrong, but was no isolated incident. This city had its own problems, worse ones at that. And the more he looked the more disgusted and angry he became. And the more he came to hate the world, the less he hated himself, and the easier it became to consider Hawk Moth's offer.

The blonde who had kicked over his cup of change that day he was begging – and no less than three times after that in three separate begging disguises to get enough for something other than a bowl of soup, a roll, and water – was the Mayor's daughter. The Mayor also owned an upscale hotel, and had at least as much of an ego on him as the girl. The brunette who'd helped him – all four times – lived above her parents' bakery, and was always running back and forth to manage her whole life, and seemed positively helpless when it came to talking to the boy she obviously liked.

Speaking of said boy, he didn't seem all that bad at first. But further observation showed Ranma that he was as much a prisoner here as Ranma had been in Nerima. The gorilla-man that was always around him was as much warden as bodyguard, and the poor blonde boy had to fight tooth and nail just to do anything that wasn't what was scheduled for him. Ranma would have had more sympathy for him, but he was apparently friends with the 'Queen Bitch' mayor's daughter, and that was enough to make him beneath Ranma's concern. If that was the sort of person he befriended, he wasn't worth worrying about.

The real tipping point, however, had been witnessing a recent battle between two 'superheroes' and a 'supervillain'. At first, he'd been indifferent, as he would just stay out of the way. That indifference vanished when he saw the pink butterfly image that was the sign of Hawk Moth communicating appear over the 'villain's face. That showed him this was someone Hawk Moth had empowered, as he had been offered. That caught his interest immediately.

While he didn't catch much in that first battle, he was able to gather more information as he saw several more. He also snuck into a library with enough of his tanto unsheathed to understand French but not trigger the communication with Hawk Moth and watched videos from a site called 'Ladyblog'. From there, he learned that Paris saw Ladybug and Chat Noir were considered 'superheroes' because they repeatedly saved Paris from 'Akumatized' people turned into 'monsters' by Hawk Moth.

It made him sick.

Watching the destruction the battles brought and seeing how it was all 'made better' with a blast of magic left him questioning the sanity of the city, much as he'd once questioned the sanity of Nerima that no one seemed to notice the craziness going on. After all, magically repairing the physical damage of an event didn't repair the mental or emotional. And then the ones who did all the damage faced no consequences, nor did those who so filled them with negativity that Hawk Moth could use them.

Looking over footage of every battle, he saw the pattern was always the same. The Akumatized 'villain' would arrive with some goal in mind, causing damage to the city. Ladybug and Chat Noir would show up, at which point Hawk Moth took a more direct hand, guiding the 'villain' to go after the heroes. For some reason, Ranma could understand the shouts of battle even without drawing the tanto, and knew that the 'villain' was always after 'the Miraculous'. He presumed this was the source of the 'ultimate power' Hawk Moth sought.

During the battle, Chat Noir would use his Cataclysm, damaging and destroying something, usually part of the infrastructure. Ladybug would use Lucky Charm, which gave her a tool that somehow allowed her to use the present scenario to get ahold of the object that held the Akuma. She would then 'deevilize' the Akuma, and release the burst of magic that 'fixed everything' and the 'villain' would lose their powers. The 'heroes' would then celebrate.

And the citizenry would bear the scars of the battles in their nightmares.

Finally, he knew what decision he had to make. He was tired of having to be the hero, tired of being the butt of the universe's jokes. That was why he'd left Nerima. Now he had the chance to not only fix his problems, but help fundamentally change the world so that things like that would never happen again. And if that meant he had to be the 'villain' to do it, then he wouldn't just be _any_ villain.

After all, his goal had always been to be the greatest.

Drawing the tanto, he stared into the glowing purple-black blade. "Hawk Moth."

Hawk Moth responded within moments. "Well, have you given thought to my offer?"

"I have," Ranma responded firmly. "But I've also seen the result of others who have…and I have no interest in becoming some puppet."

Hawk Moth chuckled in response. "But of course. Those people could never be more than pawns. But a wild horse such as yourself…you could never be less than a knight. If you wish to be my champion against Ladybug and Chat Noir, then gladly will I grant you that power."

"If I'm a champion, then I don't want you poking around in my head," Ranma barked back. "And I want it agreed ahead of time that when the Miraculous are claimed, you fix my problems."

"But of course," Hawk Moth promised. "I am a man of my word."

Ranma nodded, staring into the blade. "Let's do this."

Hawk Moth's voice changed as the shadowy energy began to spill out of the blade. "Frenzy, my champion, I grant you the power to let loose the rage you've kept bottled up inside for far too long. Run wild and free, and show the world what you _really_ think of it. And when you've had your fill of chaos, bring back Ladybug's earrings and Chat Noir's ring, that the Ultimate Power may be unleashed to bring about a New Order!"

Ranma stared as the power spread from his hand. In the brief moment while he could still think of himself as Ranma Saotome, he noticed that it shaped to his body in a glossy, living black, like liquid shadows or crude oil. _It almost looks like that Symbiote thing from that comic I once read,_ he thought as it spread to consume his whole form.

Frenzy rose to his feet as he took in his new shape. He felt his feline ears twitching at the top of his head. He felt the liquid suit covering his entire face and body in a single piece. He felt the claws at the tip of each finger and toe. He felt his tail lashing in the air behind him. Taking stock of himself inside, he felt raw, uncontrolled magic amplifying his chi, filling him with power like he'd never known. And he felt the Cat Fist at his conscious control.

A wide grin crossed his now featureless face as his eyes glowed red, the grin revealing a mouthful of razor sharp teeth as the light of day licked over the black of his body. "It's time to see just what this city is made of." Pointing his palm towards a nearby building, he laughed as a sphere of crimson light took shape there. "Frenzied Howl!" he roared out.

The blast of magic infused chi lashed forward, slamming into the building and exploding it in a blaze of light.


	4. Chapter 4

Frenzy stared down at the destruction he had unleashed with a single blast. The Moko Takabisha – even with all the chi he could focus into it – couldn't begin to hope to match such devastation. Was it the magic amplifying his abilities? Or was it that he was using rage instead of confidence to power it, and there was just that much rage inside of him? Either way, as he stared at the falling debris, the fleeing civilians, and the fires as the blast had ignited a gas main…he felt his heart fill with unholy joy. "Let's see them overlook me now," he growled out, baring his teeth in a wide grin.

He stayed where he was in plain view, however. He knew it wouldn't be long before Ladybug and Chat Noir showed up, and he wanted to properly plan out how he would fight them. He wanted to have fun with this. He wanted to take everything they thought they could do to 'protect' this city, and tear it down around their ears and watch as they lost all hope of being heroes. He didn't just want to beat them. He wanted to _destroy_ them. Then they'd gladly give up their Miraculouses, and the mission would be complete.

But did he really want it to end so fast? All this power, this freedom…he didn't want to toss it away by being too efficient. He'd have to be more careful. Give them just enough fear to make them wary, but just enough hope to make them want to keep trying. He'd have to be careful there.

"So many rules…so many things that can go wrong…" He licked his lips, his tongue running over razor sharp teeth. "Soon to be broken…" Instinct made him leap to the side as a black booted foot barely missed his skull.

"Well, looks like I've got another im-paw-sinator," Chat Noir stated teasingly as he spun his staff. "I had my fill of this with Copycat. I don't need some alley cat dragging my name into the gutter."

"You do a good enough job of that on your own," Frenzy taunted with a wide grin. He stood up carefully where he balanced on the peak of a roof, and held up his tanto. "This is what you want, isn't it?" he asked teasingly. "One little black butterfly that flaps its wings and tears the world apart. Let it out, and I have no power…but not too soon. After all, if your little Lady isn't here to cleanse it, you'll have an army of me to deal with. And if you can't find out who I am, the dark emotions that powered this change remain. And do you even know what might happen if you hold this little butterfly too long?" Frenzy flipped the tanto in his hand, catching it by the hilt. "I bet you don't want to find out…but I must admit, I'm curious."

Chat Noir ground his teeth angrily. "Well, you're certainly a pawful, aren't you? But I'm not about to let you run wild." He took a stance, balancing his staff in his arms. "It's time to get you fixed!"

Frenzy shifted into his own Anything Goes stance, his claws bared. "Let's see if you have claws, kitten." With that, he lunged forward, delivering a sweeping kick.

Chat Noir dodged or deflected incoming blows, using his staff both to block and counter. Frenzy carefully studied his combat tactics as he probed and tested. "Hmm…three years' karate training, medium intensity, maybe a green belt. Two years' fencing, medium-high intensity. Only somewhat amplified by the magic of the Miraculous."

Chat Noir flinched back, leaping away from Frenzy. "What…what are you? How can you read me so easily?"

Frenzy grinned widely. "There's a reason I'm no pawn, but a knight," he responded wickedly, lifting the tanto to lick his blade. "I wonder if I'll taste your blood today. If I do…trust me, I'll know it always." Blinking, he ducked, back flipping away from the yoyo that had just barely missed his head. "Back attacks, Ladybug? Well, why did I ever expect an honorable combatant in you?"

"After what you did to that building, you're the last one to be talking about honor, animal!" Ladybug snapped angrily as she landed beside Chat Noir, swirling her yoyo at her side.

"My Lady!" Chat Noir called out urgently. "The Akuma is in that dagger he's holding. He told me flat out when I got here, to taunt me with how I didn't dare break it until you got here."

"Thinks he's clever, then?" Ladybug asked with a smirk. "Thanks, Chaton. Let's take this monster down."

"Monster, huh?" Frenzy asked softly, shaking his head. "Well, I suppose it's appropriate, considering you will be having nightmares about me." He lifted the tanto and sheath. "You need these to 'fix' me, right? If you can't get them, that option's off the table? Well, now you see them…"

Frenzy's transformation had done far more than just amplify his existing abilities. With his mind completely clear and focused for the first time in years, his thoughts were uncluttered with distractions and memories appeared in his mind with crystal clear clarity. And most dangerous of all, his natural ability to learn new techniques quickly was amplified beyond its previous limits, showing him the inner workings of every technique he'd ever encountered and recalled, shaping them in his mind and available through chi and magic. And now he used the techniques of the Hidden Weapons to make both tanto and sheath vanish into a pocket of folded space within his chi.

"…and now you don't," he finished as he watched the looks of dawning horror on the faces of his opponents. "So…still think you can fix me? Because somehow I don't think that's what's going to happen here." He shifted into a more aggressive stance, flexing all his claws as he glared them down. "I would say make this easy on yourselves and hand over your Miraculouses…but I honestly don't want you to. It would be so disappointing if you gave up this easily, and I'm only just getting started.

"However, I believe in fair play. So…your move, heroes."


	5. Chapter 5

Chat Noir was the first to recover from the shock of seeing Frenzy make his Akumatized object vanish. The idea that such a thing could even happen was counter to everything Plaag had told him about how the power of the Butterfly Miraculous worked when used this way. Still, there was something more important to focus on now. Steeling himself, he lunged in with his baton outstretched, striking at the villain repeatedly, only for each blow to be readily evaded.

"Is that the best you've got?" Frenzy taunted as he tilted his body to let each blow slip past him, looking as though he wasn't even paying attention to the assault as he ducked and weaved around the blows. "I have to say, I'm not impressed. I get the feeling you aren't taking me seriously…and if you are, I can't help but wonder why Hawk Moth needed _me_. Why don't I up the ante a bit by actually fighting back, hmm?" He suddenly spread his hands wide, claws curled. "Spiky Chestnut!"

"Wha-?" Chat Noir managed to say before his shout turned into a gasp of pain. He crossed his arms across his chest as he felt thousands of cuts all over his body. Admittedly, the pain of each cut faded almost as soon as it hit, but the total force of the onslaught left him gasping.

"Chat!" Ladybug screamed out, tossing out her yoyo and looping it around Chat's waist, yanking him out of the strikes. "Are you alright?"

"M…Merde…" Chat gasped out as he stared down at himself. His suit wasn't even damaged, but a phantom pain still lingered from the force of the assault. "What was that?"

"Oh, so that's why Hawk Moth has so much trouble," Frenzy mused as he stood upright. "Most of your inactive magical energy is protecting you from harm with those suits. Curiouser and curiouser. I must say, I think I'll be having fun after all." He leapt back to a church and gripped the bell tower.

"N-no way…" Ladybug stammered as she watched Frenzy's suit shift around bulging muscles. "There's no way he can-"

The sound of torn stone echoed around the city as Frenzy ripped the bell tower from its foundations, the bell ringing several times before falling out to the side. Frenzy then leapt up and hurled it straight down at the pair. "Catch!"

Ladybug desperately began spinning her yoyo, hoping to deflect the incoming structure somewhat. They couldn't just run, not when the building they were standing on still had people in it, though they were already turning to run.

Chat Noir acted quickly. "Cataclysm!" he shouted out, the black energy taking shape in his right hand as he lunged upward, hoping to use the technique to dissolve the oncoming stone before they were crushed beneath it.

Frenzy seemed to appear out of nowhere behind Chat Noir, tanto once more drawn and seeming to be made entirely of shadows, rather than having a physical base. Kicking off the roof, he leapt up, his back slamming into Chat Noir's as he slammed the shadowy blade through the feline superhero's hand and into the bell tower. Chat screamed in agony as the tower collapsed into stone fragments.

"Chaton!" Ladybug screamed out in terror, stopping the spin of her yoyo to rush to his side as he fell away once the blade came out.

Chat Noir stared at his hand. He'd felt the blade pierce his flesh, but there was no injury there. Once again, his suit wasn't even torn.

Frenzy, meanwhile, was examining the tanto, tilting it this way and that as if he'd never seen it before. "Hmm…a magical version of the Breaking Point technique that works on anything. Stronger than the technique could ever be without that magic, since it seems to strike at a deeper level…" He grinned widely as the tanto once more vanished. "I must say, this is a much more efficient way to see how new techniques work. I can't duplicate that one completely – seems it's artifact based – but I can come close." Raising his right hand, the claws sparked with black energy. He leapt for Chat Noir. "Cat Slash!"

Chat Noir raised his arms to block only to feel a sharp pain across his stomach. Unlike before, the pain didn't fade, and soon became accompanied by a stinging sensation. Glancing down, he paled as he saw a split in his bodysuit and a line of blood across his belly. His ring beeped twice as two pads vanished and both rent and cut began to seal.

Frenzy held up the middle claw of his right hand, a drop of blood clinging to it. Lifting it to his mouth, he extended his tongue and licked the claw clean. "I've tasted your blood, Chat Noir. I will never forget it, and your scent will lead me to you wherever you run or hide. I hope you enjoyed feeling safe with your mask off."

"We'll see about that!" Ladybug barked out, tossing her yoyo into the sky. "Lucky Charm!" The yoyo spun in the air, releasing a wave of power.

A large ladybug-patterned mallet fell into Ladybug's hands. "What's that supposed to do?" Chat Noir asked, managing to get control of his breathing.

"Not sure," Ladybug murmured as she shifted it to over her shoulder to hold it easier. "But I'm sure I'll figure it-"

A sudden roar of pure, unadulterated rage caught both heroes' attention. Frenzy's eyes blazed murderously as he glared, his eyes shifting from the mallet to Ladybug's face. Ladybug took a step back fearfully as he advanced, both sets of claws glowing black. Desperately, she swung the mallet at his head.

A fleshy impact heralded Frenzy catching the incoming mallet. He stared at that for a time, then glowered down at Ladybug, pushing her back. "You just took all the fun out of this. Consider this your one freebie. Next time…" Without warning, he vanished.

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Frenzy didn't like that one of Genma's techniques was so useful. He hated the idea of anything from that bastard had value. However, the Umisenken – the Art of the Silent Thief – was especially effective now that it was amplified by magic. By inverting his own energy, he became completely invisible to any detection, even magical. While attacking anyone in this state would dispel it, it made for great observation…or for when, like now, one wanted to fume silently.

He watched as Ladybug tossed the mallet into the air, releasing a wave of magically charged Ladybugs that repaired all the damage of the battle. He watched the pair glance at each other worriedly, then move away, the ring and earrings beeping as pads and spots vanished. He then leapt into the nearest alleyway.

Dispelling his Umi, Frenzy pulled his tanto and sheath out of his chi and sheathed the blade. The shadows poured off his body, funneling back into the tanto as the sheath eclipsed the power.

Ranma staggered against the nearest wall and began to throw up.


	6. Chapter 6

Once his stomach was empty, Ranma staggered away from the building, wandering more or less blindly through the streets. The only sure direction he had was _away_. Away from the fixed buildings, away from Ladybug and Chat Noir, and away from the monster he'd let himself become in a single act.

He clearly remembered everything he'd done as Frenzy. He remembered how it felt to have blown up a building, not even caring if there were people inside, just reveling in how powerful he felt. He thought back to how he'd toyed with Ladybug and Chat Noir, treating the fight like some kind of game.

Not that it needed to be taken seriously. They were pathetic.

Just throwing away everything it meant to be a martial artist, using all that power for some sick, twisted pleasure. What sort of monster was he?

What this broken world made you to be.

Ranma paused as he realized the slightly different tenor to what he'd heard in his mind, not quite his own thoughts. He staggered to a halt. _Great, now I'm going-_

You're not going crazy, Ranma.

 _Forgive me if I don't take the word of the_ _ **voice in my head**_ _on that score!_

…okay, to be fair, I should have said you aren't going any crazier than you were before you came to Paris. Then again, I wouldn't be here if that had been a good example of sanity. And you wouldn't be **here** either, for that matter.

 _Not being very convincing here._

Well if you'd just find somewhere to sit and meditate, we could do this face to face. It'd be a lot easier for you to hear me out that way.

… _fine. But stop talking until I do. …why am I ordering around the voice in my head?_

When there was no immediate response, Ranma sighed and continued to make his way forward. Now having a specific plan in mind, he made his way to the nearest park. It happened to have a fountain in it built against a stone wall. He could duck behind the fountain and be completely hidden from anyone glancing around casually. It was actually one of his preferred squatting points, since it gave him fresh water to drink and a ready supply of change to collect with the Chestnut Fist without getting wet when he woke up each morning. He was just careful not to let the water from the fountain splash him.

Much to his relief, he encountered no one on his way there, and safely tucked himself behind the water when no one was looking. He started to put himself towards meditation, only to find the techniques unlocked by becoming Frenzy still there in his mind. Seeing a way to be even safer, he slipped into the Umisenken before slipping into meditation.

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In his mind, Ranma found himself face to face with Frenzy. _"So, talking to myself is supposed to convince me I'm not crazy?"_

"Magic," Frenzy countered adroitly as it casually approached.

Ranma started to respond snippily, but stopped himself. There was something…off about Frenzy. He seemed…too short. _"What are you? Are you the Akuma in the tanto? I told Hawk Moth the deal was he stayed out of my head."_

"I'm not the Akuma," Frenzy replied. "At least, not entirely. I am here like this because you accepted the Akuma, but the Akuma did not create me."

" _And why should I take your word for that?"_ Ranma insisted, mentally shifting into a defensive stance to attempt to expel this thing from his mind.

"Because who can you trust…" As Frenzy spoke, the black shadowy covering peeled back, revealing a redheaded, blue eyed girl with a pigtail. "…if you can't trust yourself?"

" _T…the hell?"_ Ranma demanded as he scrambled back from what he saw. When the figure took no more action, he started to move forward to examine the figure, only to stop as the suit pulled back further. He quickly saw that this was himself in his cursed form…but not entirely.

She had cat ears, claws, and tail. Her stomach was unnaturally shrunken. She wore not a stitch of clothing, but her body was covered in bruises and scars, and her teeth had been broken into points. As the suit pulled completely away, chains latched onto her, seeming to pull her off in different directions. The largest chain had panda coloration.

" _What…happened to you?"_ Ranma asked worriedly, his own natural compassion coming to the fore.

The figure chuckled humorously. "You already know," she responded sadly. She wiggled her ears and tail. "The Neko Ken." She gestured to her shrunken stomach. "Scrounging for every mouthful." She gestured from scar to scar, and then to the broken teeth. "Each and every wound from the training, and no one hearing your pain." She cupped her breasts, drawing attention to the hand shaped bruises there. "The Jusenkyo Curse…and all the pain that brought from guys who chased you and the girls – your friends – who treated it as a toy or a game." She gestured to the chains. "The obligations you were given, that you never chose nor accepted. The endless lectures from the Panda, about what was **honorable**." She looked Ranma right in the eye. "I'm every bit of pain, and rage, and sorrow you've ever experienced. Your hate, your fear, your loneliness. I am the darkness you kept inside, bottled up because 'guys don't cry' and 'I am not weak'. I am the broken side of you, hidden where even you didn't realize how badly you had been damaged…until you finally gave into a bit of self-preservation selfishness and got on that plane. I am the part of you Hawk Moth sensed that led the Akuma to you."

" _Is…is this supposed to make me feel better?"_ Ranma asked softly.

"No," the figure replied. "It's supposed to make you see reason. I am a part of you, the part that was in control when you accepted the Akuma and became Frenzy. I'm the part of you that you let out when you stop caring, because your caring heart has been worn down too far."

" _So every time I unsheathe the tanto-"_

"You will finally put yourself first," __she stated firmly. "You will look out at the world, and tell everyone that from now on, you look out for yourself. It's not wrong to look after yourself first after all this time."

" _What do you want?"_ Ranma asked, but not with hostility.

She gestured to her body. "I want nothing else to be added to me." She slowly walked towards Ranma, the shadowy suit pouring up her body, breaking the chains as it did so. The more of her was covered by the suit, the healthier she looked. "I want you to heal. I want you…" The suit completely covered her. "…to accept me," Frenzy concluded.

Ranma was silent for a long time. Eventually, he voiced a single thought. _"Hawk Moth's just using me,"_ he stated. _"He'll just be another chain on you, another wound, once we give him the Miraculouses."_

Frenzy grinned wickedly, reaching behind Ranma and taking hold of a chain around his neck, weighted so heavily it weighed down his entire form. Gently lifting it up, the whisper was offered. "Who says we have to give **him** the Ultimate Power? The deal was to bring them back, so the Ultimate Power could be unleashed. He never specifically said we had to give them to him."

Ranma stared into the eyes of the monster he had made inside his own soul, crafted of everything he had been put through since the day he had been taken from his mother. Reflected back, he saw the only being in the whole world he knew would never betray him, never turn on him, and never leave him alone…

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Standing up behind the fountain, Ranma held up the sheathed tanto. "Pops never seemed to think anything wrong with taking what he wanted," he murmured as he unsheathed the blade. As the suit covered him and slowly transformed him into Frenzy, he grinned. "Time I took his more useful lessons to heart. I am what he made me to be, after all…"


End file.
